Noose
by Velnica
Summary: Rikuo had never seen such terror on Kazahaya's eyes. My take on what happened after chapter 17.


This one just came to me as I was mulling over headcanons. It's been a very long time since I touched any of the CLAMP fandoms as an author. Hope you enjoy!

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Kazahaya paused for what seemed like hours, taking in deep breaths as if he was going to cry any second. Rikuo just knelt there on the floor, their hands still intertwined. He was sure his palms are now full of half moon marks, he felt the sting even more keenly than the gash on his forehead. The other teen took another deep breath before he finally continued.

"I learned what I could about the outside world through the objects that they brought in. As we got older the memories inside the objects were getting clearer. Our powers were growing and I was desperate to escape, each day was like a ticking time bomb." Kazahaya's hand squeezed Rikuo's again. "Finally there was finally a break that I could use. A customer came with a rope - it was badly made and was fraying in every direction. Kei made a face of disgust, but the customer asked for its past to be read. It was..." Another squeeze, "it was handmade and it was strong enough to hang a full grown deadweight three floors down from a window without snapping. I learned how to make a noose that day."

He could sense the Kazahaya was on the verge of breaking, but as he tried to move from his position the empath just shook his head and made a motion for him to sit back down again. Rikuo's heart thundered in his ears, he had never seen Kazahaya in such despair.

"How did you escape?" He asked after a prolonged silence. He would absolutely not ask about how Kazahaya managed to make the rope in the first place. He needed to keep his emotion in check for fear of the empath absorbing it. Belatedly he realised his thumbs had moved of their own accord to softly stroke the Kazahaya's fingers. He wasn't sure if it was out of nervousness or something else.

"The waterfall in the forest. I would take time when Kei was in the bath to move the rope. One night I just... It was a dead moon and Kei had retired early in a huff after she refused the last customer. I snuck out, as I sometimes did to meditate in the shrine, but I ran into the woods instead. I did not look back - it was for the best. If anyone was to disappear trying to escape it was better if it was me."

A strong squeeze on his hands made the teen stop and look up. Rikuo was giving him another strange look, one that made his breath hitch on his throat. He could feel anger seeping through the calloused fingertips that made him recoil, but Rikuo's grips were keeping their hands joined. He felt the sudden urge to lash out at something, anything. Sensing the change, Rikuo closed his eyes and Kazahaya felt the anger recede, replaced by strained calmness.

"Anyway I ran, I learnt how to steal into houses and cars from the myriad of items that they brought us. I did not stop moving from place to place until you found me. That was almost a year after I disappeared from the Moon Boat." He finally finished the story. "How did you know about them Rikuo?" Kazahaya's eyes were both searching and sad.

Rikuo sat there, deliberating on how to go about breaking the next bit to Kazahaya. Again as if in trance his fingers went back to stroking the other's fingers. Perhaps he unconsciously thought that this would bring a modicum of comfort for what he had to say.

"Saiga said he'd heard Tsukiko's name mentioned by associates of the Moon Boat. I was planning to keep an eye on them for a while. He mentioned the presence of a psychic connected with future-telling, but failed to mention that she looked exactly like you."

Kazahaya started, "So you did see her!? She's alive! I was... she isn't dead yet." At this he started crying in earnest and the empath's shoulders sagged in relief. Rikuo gave Kazahaya's hands a strong squeeze. It's true that Kei did look very much like Kazahaya, so much that Rikuo had stopped to stare too long and gave his presence away, but the girl had felt nothing like the person crying before him. He could still remember the malicious aura constricting around his throat.

"She was the one who gave me these wounds."

The hands in his grips were roughly yanked away. Kazahaya's eyes were wide open, horror etched into those golden orbs. Rikuo reached forward but Kazahaya moved back towards the far end of the bed, shell shocked by Rikuo's admission. Undeterred he chased after Kazahaya, gathering him into his arms and leaning the both of them onto the pillow. The empath just continued to cry. If Kei had managed to touch Rikuo, there was a very large chance that she would know Rikuo's connection with Kazahaya. An image of blood-stained hands and a cruel smile flashed in his mind. It was similar to his memory of Kei returning to the house after the kidnapping, but the eyes that were looking straight at him were filled with unbridled hatred. He desperately wanted to believe that it wasn't his Kei, but the arms that were holding him tightly were not lying. _Kazahaya is mine, _she said, _you can't take him away from me, we promised to be together forever._

A fresh wave of terror washed over him and it was all he could do to hug Rikuo back, burrowing his face in the psychic's neck. They stayed like that for sometime, long enough for Kazahaya's sobs to slow and Rikuo's ribs to start throbbing something fierce. He winced involuntarily and the arms that were wrapped around Rikuo's shoulders eased slightly as Kazahaya pulled back, wispy bangs covering his eyes.

The smaller teen seemed to gather himself before pinning Rikuo down with a desperate look that must have been mirrored in Rikuo's own face.

"I will not lose you," Kazahaya said almost too softly. "I know what Kei can do... I… I… I will absolutely not_-mmph!_" Rikuo couldn't hold back anymore, he yanked Kazahaya closer and met his lips halfway. He could feel Kazahaya bristle like a cat, and for a split second he could believe that the events of the past few days did not happen - that Kazahaya was not on the edge of anguish - but the thought was dashed when Kazahaya's arms tightened around him again and the salty lips moved against his. It wasn't a soft kiss, it was hurried and fueled with a possessiveness that surprised them both. Their tongues danced together deliciously, each not backing down from the other's. Rikuo's hands found the edge of Kazahaya's jumper and slid under, feeling the soft warm skin on his back as if trying to commit it to memory through his fingertips. The empath moaned into the kiss, bringing about a new round of tongue duel.

Kazahaya's smaller hands tried to touch every part of Rikuo that they could reach, crushed against the bigger teen as he was. He traced the tattoo on Rikuo's bicep, down then up before moving to follow the strong line of his neck. He lightly scratched Rikuo's chest but instead of pleasured moans, a pained groan came through Rikuo's lips instead. The sound snapped Kazahaya back to reality and he reluctantly drew their lips apart. Rikuo's eyes were a darker shade of green than usual, and all Kazahaya wanted was to give in, but the minute winces were reminders that his body was still healing. He moved back into a kneeling position, still breathing heavily, then tugged the older teen to lie down fully on the bed before pulling the blanket up.

"Oi, I'm not a kid you know, you don't have to tuck me into bed," Rikuo couldn't help but tease the flushed teen. Kazahaya bristled again in that familiar cat-like gesture and Rikuo chuckled, only to be cut short by another sharp wince. Kazahaya's gaze softened and he ran his fingers along Rikuo's jaw. Those golden eyes were just as hooded as his and those soft pink lips were tempting him again. He knew that he was in no state to do anything else tonight though and for the first time ever it vexed him.

Wordlessly Kazahaya got out of the bed and retrieved some painkillers and a glass of water from Rikuo's bedside table. He carefully helped the exhausted psychic to drink it before putting everything away in the kitchen. When he returned Rikuo had shifted his body to one side of the bed, leaving a bit of space for Kazahaya to lie in. When the empath did not accept the invitation, Rikuo opened his mouth to tease him some more but was interrupted by a stinging flick to his forehead.

"You idiot, your ribs are hurting so much yet you are shoving yourself into the corner like that. Do you want to get better or not?" Kazahaya yelled. He wanted to reply with a witty retort, but the painkillers were starting to take effect and his wit died at the end of his tongue. All he could manage was a confused look as Kazahaya dragged Rikuo's own bedside table away from the wall with a loud noise. It took a while but finally it dawned on him what Kazahaya was doing.

The metal frame screeched along the smooth concrete floor in a decidedly painful manner. Finally with a triumphant cry Kazahaya managed to drag Rikuo's bed flush against the one the owner was resting in. Quickly he flicked the light switch off, kicked off his shoes then jumped into the bed, tucking himself into Rikuo's bedding. The older teen blushed as Kazahaya made a noise of contentment when he buried his face in Rikuo's pillow.

As the atmosphere in the room relaxed, Rikuo found it hard to keep his eyes open. His body demanded sleep and he was powerless to resist. Before he fully drifted into unconsciousness a hand sneaked out of the other bed and into his own. Kazahaya intertwined their fingers together and Rikuo could feel his worry seeping away.

"Sleep. I'm sure Kakei-san and Saiga-san would be on watch tonight." Kazahaya could feel Rikuo nod before promptly falling asleep through their connected hands. The soothing calmness Rikuo's sleep lulled him too and he tightened his grip. "You won't lose me either, I promise."

It was dangerous, a promise made in direct opposition to one he made a long time ago to another person and he wondered if he could ever keep both. His head warned that he could keep only one, but his heart wanted otherwise. Kazahaya did not have time to mull over the possibilities as sleep finally claimed him.

He missed the two floating figures looking in through the window, both smiling tenderly at the boys' intertwined hands.


End file.
